Chapter 57-The next phase

Chapter 57: 57-The next phase

The first wave of disasters had been natural: tsunamis, hurricanes, and floods. But this?

The next phase was something else entirely as the mutations of the ocean creatures had begun.

Aymara didn’t hesitate in dealing with the small mutated fish. "Deploy the electric shock wave."

[Command confirmed.]

A low hum vibrated through the ship and a second later a loud explosion sounded.

BOOM!

A massive electrical pulse surged through the surrounding seawater. The mutated fish convulsed simultaneously, their limbs snapping rigid and their claws curling into the hull.

Their bloated bodies twisted inside out in violent spasms, jaws gaping as clouds of black fluid and stringy tissue burst from their mouths.

Their milky eyes popped from their stalks and drifted upward like dead pearls before the creatures sank lifelessly into the dark depths.

The screens went still. Aymara leaned back in her chair. "Well... that was easier than expected," she said, but she knew not to be too excited, they were easy to handle because they were the first of what was to come.

The immediate danger had passed, but the warning continued to linger in the back of her mind.

She opened her storage space and casually pulled out a cup of hot coffee before taking a slow sip. The warmth spread through her chest as she returned her attention to the monitors.

She checked their current coordinates, then their distance from the nearest remaining source of human life. She examined the surrounding waters, scanned for other ships, and reviewed the system’s environmental readings.

Once she was sure they were far away from any ship, submarine or life force, she found herself relaxing.

Finally, her attention shifted to Sarah and Dylan. She wanted to know how her enemies were doing.

Their ship appeared on one of the screens. Aymara’s lips curved upward as she checked on the very people who betrayed her in the past and killed her.

They looked terrible. Their clothes were disheveled, their hair was a mess, and dark bags hung beneath their swollen, reddened eyes.

Both of them moved with the sluggish exhaustion of people who had been awake for far too long.

They were dragging supplies across the ship, repairing damaged equipment, rearranging what little remained, and trying to make sense of the chaos surrounding them.

They looked like two mindless zombies who had crawled out of hell and somehow been ordered to keep working.

Aymara took another sip of coffee and watched them for several seconds. The sight gradually pulled her out of the tension left by the attack. Then a mischievous smile slowly spread across her face.

"Oh, Sarah..." she set the cup down. "Since you’re already having such a wonderful morning..."

Her fingers tapped lightly against the console. "Why don’t I make it a little more interesting?"

Her eyes gleamed. "System, create a phone signal capable of connecting me to Sarah’s phone."

[Processing...]

[Signal creation in progress.]

Aymara leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. She was suddenly in the mood for a little chaos.

A few seconds later, the system screen flickered.

[Phone signal successfully established.]

[Connecting to target device.]

Aymara’s lips curled upward. "Call her."

The phone on Sarah’s side suddenly rang.

Ring... Ring...

Sarah froze. She stared at the device as though it were a bomb, and her heart began pounding. There shouldn’t have been a signal, not after the communication towers had gone down with the floods and the storms, and not when their ship was barely holding together.

Ring... Ring...

Dylan looked over. "Who’s calling?"

Sarah didn’t answer him. Her fingers trembled as she picked up the phone, and the screen displayed an incoming call. There was no number and no name, just an unknown connection.

A terrible feeling crawled up her spine. Whoever it was that was calling her had found a way for their phone to work and for her phone to be able to receive the call. They sounded scary.

"Don’t answer it," Dylan said sharply.

Sarah swallowed. The phone continued ringing, and for some reason, she already knew who was on the other end. Her thumb hovered over the screen before she finally answered.

"Hello?"

Silence came through the call. Static crackled through the speaker, and then a familiar voice floated through.

"Good morning, Sarah?" Aymara spoke in a lazy tone, drinking in Sarah’s shocked expression on the screen.

Sarah’s blood ran cold. Her eyes widened, and her breath caught painfully in her throat. For a moment, she couldn’t speak.

That voice. That calm, almost playful voice. She would recognize it anywhere. "A... Aymara?"

Her hand began shaking so badly that the phone nearly slipped from her fingers.

Dylan’s head snapped toward her. "What?" he became attentive. "What did you just say?"

Sarah couldn’t look at him. "Aymara," she repeated to be sure.

The name seemed to suck the air out of the room. Dylan went completely still, and his face changed. For the first time since the storm began, genuine fear flashed across his eyes.

"She survived?" he asked.

Sarah’s lips trembled. "I don’t know," she said but deep down, she knew. Of course she knew.

Aymara wouldn’t be calling them if she were struggling, and she wouldn’t sound this calm if her ship were sinking. She wouldn’t sound amused if she were fighting for her life.

Sarah’s stomach twisted. Aymara was safe somewhere, watching them. Sarah could feel it, and the worst part was the certainty that Aymara knew exactly how frightened she was.

"How are you two doing, babes?" Aymara asked. "I hope all is well with you."

Sarah’s eyes swept across the wreckage surrounding them. Broken equipment, ruined furniture, water stains, half-empty containers, and supplies were scattered across the floor.

Their clothes were soaked and dirty, their faces exhausted, and their bodies ached from hours of fighting the storm. Sarah’s throat tightened.

"We’re fine."

Aymara was silent for a beat and then she chuckled.

"Really?" Aymara inquired, her tone was laced with amusement. "I just wanted to call and say that you were right. The apocalypse really was coming. It’s here and you knew before hand so you must have prepared alot. Help a friend out, will you?"

Sarah’s face burned. She hated that laugh and how effortlessly Aymara could make her feel small.

Even now, with Sarah’s entire body shaking and her carefully built future collapsing around her, Aymara sounded untouchable, confident, and certain, as though Sarah’s fear were nothing more than an amusing confirmation that she had already won.

"But... you don’t sound fine, girl. Are you sure you are okay?"

Sarah’s fingers clenched around the phone. "How are you able to contact me?"

"Trade secret," Aymara spoke, revealing nothing. "Why don’t you help me out and maybe I’ll tell you!"